What to wear guide

Man oh man. I know it can feel kind of daunting to pick what to wear for photos. Here are a few guidelines I’ve put together so you guys can be sure to look hot, be all over each other and feel like Beyonce, while still making sure the images are focused on your guys’ love – not what you’re wearing. This is just what I’ve found to work best from trial and error from past shoots, they’re only guidelines, not rules! Ultimately, I want you guys to look like yourselves. The most important thing to me is that you guys feel and look like yourselves, so you can be as comfortable as possible! Here's the rundown:

MAKE SURE IT MAKES SENSE

Think about the conditions and locations we are going to be shooting in and plan around it. If we are going to be hiking around, bring shoes with good grip and you won’t twist your ankles in. If we are shooting on a sandy beach, it would look weird if you’re wearing shoes. If it’s freezing cold outside, bring lots of layers and warm clothes with wool socks and boots. If it’s going to be hot, bring clothes that can breathe more so you don’t have sweat stains in the photos. Be as comfortable as you can be!

MOVEMENT

Make sure that the materials you wear will keep you comfortable during the shoot not only for temperatures but also for being able to move around in. If you're in brand new jeans that are still stiff and tight, you might be distracted during the shoot trying to make sure everything stays in place as well as lets you sit, run and move around in. If you're wearing a dress that doesn't let you freely walk or run around in, you are going to have a lot of posed photos, which is no fun. I also love when people bring clothing or accessories that can show movement by catching wind, because it adds energy to the photos and looks freaking gorgeous!

COLORS

I recommend neutrals, earthy tones, and metallics. I recommend to shy away from bright colors. This doesn’t mean you can only wear creams, browns and grays. There are muted and neutrals for ever single color! Bright fluorescent colors don’t inspire me as much as I typically shoot in earthy natural settings, and they end up being more of a distraction which is why I recommend to stay away from them. Choose colors that are complimentary to your skin tone.

PATTERNS

Avoid big, loud, chunky patterns. The smaller or more subtle, the better! If the pattern is too loud, it will distract from your faces. Flannels are always a yes in my book! I usually try to avoid pairing too many patterns together because it makes the photos feel a little hectic and distracting from your faces and the location. Also, be sure to iron your clothes before so there’s not huge wrinkles in your photos.

ACCESSORIES + PROPS

I always encourage accessories! I love when couples bring hats, sunglasses, scarves, jewelry, etc. because it adds more interest to the outfits. I also highly encourage cool, untraditional props like motorcycles, dogs, a blanket to cuddle in, pizza, your truck, a campfire, flowers, a vintage car, a SUP board, champagne, or a full on picnic with charcuterie. Sometimes I love incorporating a beautiful bouquet or flower crown into an engagement session. It will add that extra little visual touch to your images and you’ll be so glad you had them. Just a reminder that if you would like to bring a pet, you should bring someone with you to the photoshoot to watch the pet until we are ready to take photos with the pet and after we've finished with the pictures of them. If you have props you wanna incorporate, let me know and we can make sure to incorporate them in a non-cheesy way! I never want the props to distract or take away from what is truly important and what is being celebrated, your love story!

IN-HOME SESSIONS

All of the above applies, but for in home sessions I say the more skin showing the better! No that doesn’t mean you need to be borderline nakey, I’m just saying the photos will look a lot more comfortable and intimate than if you're in lots of heavy layers! Cause let’s be real, most of us walk around without pants on at home anyways. I recommend bringing options of tank tops, shorts, sweaters, and jeans to mix and match! Anything that will show some skin is perf! Or if you wanna just wear a sweater with undies for a few or have your bae be shirtless, then heck yeah to that. I pinky promise I'm not a weirdo creep hahah.

HAIR + MAKEUP

A lot of people ask me whether or not they should get your hair and makeup done professionally. I absolutely don't think it's a necessity, It's a personal preference. My answer is always "whatever will make you feel best, do that." If you want your hair and makeup done, then definitely do it, because this is the perfect opportunity to get pampered and the most important thing is that you feel confident. Get your nails done, schedule a hair and makeup appointment, whatever makes you feel like Beyonce. I recommend making the day of your engagement session special! Keep your day stress free; Take the day off work or don’t plan anything other then your session.

If you're getting hair and makeup done, I recommend you schedule to be done at least an hour before you have to leave for the shoot so you aren't late. If you want to get a spray tan, be sure to get a suuuuper natural airbrushed spray tan rather than one from a tanning salon. We don't want you to look oompa-loompa orange in your photos.

For both men and women, make sure your nails are all clean and shaped and if wearing polish, avoid chipped or faded nail color. Fellas, make sure you're groomed to your highest standards including haircut and facial hair.

THAT'S A WRAP!

If you have anymore questions, don’t hesitate to let me know! Feel free to send me a pic or two of what you’re thinking! Overall, just wear what you’re comfortable in and feel like you in. A pair of your favorite Vans? Great. A sweater you wore for basically a month straight? Awesome. A new spring dress you saw shopping at Anthro? Perfect. You do you, and I promise the photos will turn out amazing!